Improvement in horse-rakes



T. S. BROWN.

HORSE-RAKE. No.174,112. Patented Feb. 29, 1876'.

WITNESSES: fin/4f INZENTOR.

wa 2 ,2 3g? Q/abmali fax 6m I, ATTORW ETER UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. BROWN, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HISRIGHT TO JOHN P. ADRIANGE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPRQVEMENT IN HORSE-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,1 [2, datedFebruary 29, 1876; application filed December 31, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS S. BROWN, ofPoughkeepsie, New York, have invented a new and useful Lifting andDropping Horse Hay-Rake, of which the following is a specification: I

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of my rake; Fig. 2, a partialside section of the ratchet and differential gearing, and Fig. 3 acentral longitudinal cross-section of the same.

rigidly attached to the inner ends of each' part of the axle, and facingtoward one another. E is a ratchet-wheel, placed free to revolve uponthe innermost extremities of both portions of the axle. Upon the innerside of the periphery of this ratchet, and pivoted to it, is a pinion,F, which engages with both bevel-wheels D and D, as shown in Fig. 3, thewhole device forming a differential gearing for the wheels.

Supported upon the axle, and elevated by prop-pieces G above the gearingdescribed before, is the rake-head H, carrying the teeth. Central uponthe rake-head, pivoted to it, and directly above the ratchet, is apronged pawl, J, kept in repose, elevated somewhat by a coiled springbeneath it and upon the head. Pivoted below to a crossbrace of theframe-work is a depressing footlever, L, connected by a chain to thepawl, and

kept up ordinarily by a spring, R.

M is a lever, and N a link, to lift the rakes at will by hand. 0 is aspring to assist in throwing back and off the rake-head when the pawl isreleased from the ratchet.

l is a ratchet release-piece set transversely upon the'perches, todeflect the prong Q of the pawl, and thereby release the latter from theratchet, in the manner hereinafter described.

Such being the construction of my device, its mode of operation is asfollows: When driven forward in a direct line, the force and speed fromeach driving-wheel upon the bevelwheels D D being the same, the pinion-F is held stationary between'the former, and by them is carried around,consequently rotating with it, the ratchet. In this position therake-teeth, of course, are down and raking. When it is desired to liftthem, the foot of the driver depresses the foot-lever L, straighteningout its chain and drawing down the pawl until it clutches in theratchet, when the ratchet, by its own rotation, carries around with itthe pawl, and with it the rake-head, to which the latter is attached,whereby the teeth are lifted and carried up until the continued rotationof the ratchet with the pawl has brought the prong of the latter intocontact with its release-piece, whereby the pawl is released and therakehead, by its gravity and the expanding power of the spring 0dropped, is thrown back in to position for raking.

When the rake is turned around, the dif- 'ferential gearing allows freeplay to both wheels without shock or strain, the power being alwaysdivided between them in exact proportion to their relative speed.

The principal advantages of my rake are, that the wheels act in concertto entirely prevent all lateral motion or thrashing of the thillssidewise when the rake is thrown in gear to discharge the load; that therake is always lifted in the center, preventing all cramping ortwisting; that both wheels act equally upon the rake when dischargingits load, whether running in astraight line or a circle; and that thepower is always divided between the wheels in exact proportion to theirrelative speed.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination, in ahorse hay-rake, for the purpose specified, of the wheels B, the

divided axle O, the bevel-wheels D D, the

ratchet E, and the pinion F.

2. The combination of the foot-lever L,

the ratchet E, the pronged pawl J and the axle C, bevel-wheels D D,ratchet E, pinion ratchet release-piece P, substantially as de- F,foot-lever L, pawl J, ratchet release-piece scribed. P, and spring 0, inthe manner and for the 3. The combination of the spring 0 with purposespecified.- the rake-head and releasing mechanism hcre- THOS. S. BROWN.

Witnesses:

WM. WOODIN, JNo. E. ADRIANCE.

inbefore described, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in a lifting and dropping horse hay-rake, of thewheels B, divided

